The End
by RavenclawRebel
Summary: Oneshot about how things might have gone when Harry stepped into the clearing to die. Contains spoilers! AU from Deathly Hallows!


**A/N: This is just a one shot about the ending of Deathly Hallows… Contains spoilers (in a way) so don't read if you haven't read DH! I don't own anything, this is just what several people thought should happen! I liked the original ending, but this should be good… Review! **

**The End**

Harry walked into the small clearing, following the dancing flames of firelight. The ring fell from his limp hand and the figures of his parents vanished. Voldemort grinned as Harry stepped into the clearing and mouthed a word to his followers, a word that Harry could understand all to clearly. _Torture. _He shuddered. So Voldemort wouldn't be content with just killing him; he'd be tortured first.

"Well, well, Potter," Voldemort hissed. "You finally came. I can tell you were hoping for a quick death, but that won't be happening. You see, it wasn't pleasant," He paused, his eyes roving around the clearing before coming to rest on Harry's pale, determined face. "It wasn't pleasant when I was ripped from my body that night seventeen years ago. Not pleasant at all. You are going to feel that pain tonight." He raised his wand and met Harry's emerald green eyes. "_Crucio!" _He roared, feeling the power of the spell rush out of the wand. Harry crumpled to the ground, his back arched, his teeth gritted, no sound escaping his lips. Voldemort narrowed his eyes and increased the power of the spell. When Harry still refused to scream he gestured for his Death Eaters join into the torture.

They did so, gladly, a thousand spells of torture hitting Harry. Voldemort could see the pain etched on Harry's face and his determination to keep silent weakening. Finally he screamed. A scream of pure agony that made Hagrid, who had been slumped against the thick trunk of a tree, glance up. "No! 'Arry!" He shouted, and struggle uselessly against the thick bond securing him to the tree. "Why are ye doing that!" Hagrid sobbed. Curious, Voldemort lowered his wand, breaking the spell.

"You're right," He hissed. "It should be a public execution. Potter is going to die in front of his friends." He levitated the limp body of Harry up and thrust him into Hagrid's arms. "Untie Hagrid." He commanded. "He is going to lead our procession."

Hermione glanced around the Great Hall for the umpteenth time. _Where was Harry? _She spotted the Weasley family crouched around Fred's battered body, and looked away, tears glistening in her eyes. Not far away, Lupin and Tonks were lying close together, their hands clasped, their motionless faces peaceful. Hermione stood up and walked over to them, her steps slow and painful.

"You didn't deserve this," She whispered, kneeling by their sides. She rocked back in forth in silent agony. Fred, Lupin, Tonks, Colin… So many people had died to protect Harry, and now Harry was gone. Vanished.

_"People of Hogwarts, you fought well against my Death Eaters. You have shown incredible bravery…" _Voldemort's voice echoed throughout the castle and everyone froze. Why did Voldemort sound so gleeful? _"But how brave are you when it comes to the torture and public death of Harry Potter?" _

"No!" Hermione whispered. "Harry!" She lurched to her feet and stumbled out of the Great Hall, barely registering the fact that the rest of the Order members were following her, or that Voldemort was speaking again. Only one thought appeared in her mind, repeating itself over and over. _Harry, Harry! I love you! You were my brother, you there through thick and thin! What have you gotten yourself into now? _

Voldemort smirked as the inhabitants of Hogwarts stumbled outside, expressions of fear on their faces. Good, they were scared. He motioned for the crying Hagrid to dump Harry's motionless body by his feet. Lazily, noticing that some of the students were about to charge the clearing, he raised his wand and muttered a spell. Instantly a barrier rose out of the ground. Only those with a Dark Mark could pass.

Harry stirred feebly and raised himself into a sitting position. He didn't appear to notice that people were shouting his name and cursing Voldemort. Only one face held his attention. Ginny.

"Ginny," Harry whispered. "I'll always love you," Harry saw her smile weakly and love blossomed in his chest. As long as she survived, Harry would be fine. The pain he would suffer if she died would be worse than the pain of a million Crucioes hitting him at the same time. He felt Voldemort's wand rise and heard the rush of power as the Crucio hit him. He stiffened and his back arched; pain was everywhere, all he could see, smell, feel, taste, and hear was pain. A scream rose in his chest and forced it down. He wouldn't scream. Not in front of Ginny and his friends. Ginny. I'll always love you, Ginny. Ginny, Ginny, Ginny! His world went black as the other Death Eaters joined in. The last thing he saw was a flash of green life. Ginny's anguished howl was the last thing he heard.

"HARRY!" She cried.

Hermione sank to the ground. Harry had suffered in silent agony for over an hour. No one could get through the invisible barrier. All had tried, and all had failed. She had turned away when Voldemort had cast the _Avada Kedavra _and had found herself held in strong arms. Ron's arms. "Ron!" She had sobbed.

It was over. Harry was dead, and Voldemort was alive. Harry hadn't been able to kill him. He had sacrificed his life in the hopes of killing him. It hadn't worked.

Ginny was crouched nearby, her eyes dull and lifeless. "Harry," she moaned repeatedly. Ron was in the same state, his arm still wrapped around her, but no life in his eyes. The Golden Trio was no more. They had lost their leader, their symbol of hope. "No," Hermione whispered. Voldemort's laugh echoed around the clearing and Hermione stood up, anger coursing a fiery path through her veins. Ginny stood with her, and, in unison, they raised their wands, and shouted the Killing Curse to the Heavens.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" The twin jets of green light passed through the barrier and hit Voldemort on the chest. He glanced around, startled. Who had managed to kill him? His face narrowed in fury as his world went black, permanently. Voldemort was dead, for good this time. But the price had been too high. Harry was dead, and he wasn't going to come back to life.

The celebrations around Hermione and Ginny were subdued; they were free from Voldemort's wrath, his reign of terror, but their leader was dead. The Death Eaters were shocked; some simply sat on the ground; others attempted to fight and were killed. Ginny was crouched by Harry, holding his hand in hers. Hermione joined her, in no mood to celebrate.

"Harry, we did it," Ginny was saying, slowly, haltingly. "You can come back now… Voldemort is dead." She looked up as Hermione approached. "Mione! Kill me!" She begged. "I can't live without him!"

Hermione shook her head. "No…"

Life would go on, but Harry wouldn't be there to witness it. Harry… Hermione blinked. Did Harry just move?

Ginny noticed, too! "Harry!" She crowed, raising Harry and squeezing him to her chest. Harry was alive. Life would go on!  
Harry struggled weakly. "Ginny, I love you, but I need room to breathe! Is he gone?"

"Yes, he's gone. As dead as he'll ever be." Hermione answered. Harry grinned in response.

He was alive! Now their promised Utopia had arrived. They were free.


End file.
